Pittsburgh talks go to the wire
mainThe musicians’ contract with the Pittsburgh Symphony expires Sunday night and both sides are maintaining confidentiality but the showdown is following the recent pattern of hardball negotiations in US orchestras.
The organisation – known as ‘management’ – issues an apocalyptic financial analysis to the local newspaper. Cue Peter Gelb at the Met, and before him the English sock-puppet at Minnesota.
The musicians form a separate social media entity, showing themselves to be vital contributors to the local community as educators and entrepreneurs, undervalued by their employers.
The music director says nothing.
Everybody gets caffeinated. It goes to deadline.
There has got to be a better way.
I could not agree more. There has to be a better way. And that has to involve Boards being far more transparent with their stakeholders, musicians and administration employees. Will it happen? Unlikely, I fear!
Yep.
It’s not all bad news in Pittsburgh. I received this in an email today: ” Thank you so much for your generous support of the 2015-2016 Annual Fund! Because of donors like you, we were able to raise over $8.5 million, a first in Pittsburgh Symphony history” . Last cycle Maestro Honeck gave ùp part of his compensation to help. As of now the PSO is still playing. What would you like Maestro Honeck to say?